Under The Stars
by PathfinderRyder
Summary: Juniper Ryder wakes up on Ark Hyperion to the face of an old acquaintance. Will the young woman be able to win the beautiful asari doctor over? Stubbornness and tenacity run in the family after all. (f)Ryder/Lexi T'Perro ; will of course contain spoilers for the game. Pretty much follows Me:A's story but with some twists and turns.
1. Chapter 1

So this is my first story ever, so please be kind ;-) although constructive criticism is very much appreciated. I'm from Germany and not a native speaker, so there might be a few mistakes along the way.

There will be a few time jumps to get us to Andromeda but I wanted to use the chance and let us get to know the characters back "home" first. I hope you enjoy what I've written up so far.

I'll try to write another chapter up and update as often as I can (if people are even interested in this, of course) but as I'm a teacher it might sometimes take me a little longer.

Now, let's move on to the first chapter. Let me know what you think.

–––––– **The Citadel**

The lone teen was sitting in the shade of a tree, her back leaning comfortably against its massive trunk, flickers of sunlight giving her red hair a golden glow in several places. She'd decided to read her book outside on the Presidium grounds instead of stuck in her room back at their apartment. On the Citadel, it was always pleasantly warm and the sun was always shining – a byproduct of the artificial weather creation. It was nice, though rather boring.

June craved change and adventure; the sandstorms on Mars, the heavy snowfalls on Noveria, or the tropical heat and sudden rain in the rainforests on Earth did a lot more to satisfy her natural curiosity than her current location.

Fortunately enough, she usually spent many months of each year abroad. Just shortly after her upcoming birthday, she'd be going to Mars and more specifically the Mars Archives. She'd be supporting the scientists and researchers there, helping them sort through the newly discovered section on the Protheans. Her family's connections had secured her the spot and she was already way too excited and counting the days.

"…invited too! Do you think Scott will ask me out on a date if I get him two tickets for that new film that's coming out?"

The familiar voice made her look up from her book and sure enough, June found three of her classmates strolling along the Presidium. And they were obviously discussing her brother Scott. Grimacing, she focused her attention back on the pages in front of her, trying to blend their voices into the background. However, she was too curious not to listen to what else they had to say.

"Maybe, I mean, he seems to like you."

She snorted. Yes, Scott probably did 'like' her – and would most likely invite her along on that movie date – but not the way the girl wanted him to. Her brother was what one called a 'player'; he probably changed girls more often than his socks.

"I really hope he will..."

"Don't worry Chantelle, he will. – Ugh, I just wish he and his sister weren't twins. It sucks that we'll have to see 'Looniper' outside of school. Last week I saw her hanging around the embassies and she was actually talking to that elcor - who does that?"

"Duh! Plus, we'll have to play nice with the freak cause Scott actually cares for her!"

"If she and Scott weren't twins, no one would be coming to her birthday at all. It's not like she's got any friends..."

The three girls laughed.

June shut her eyes for a moment, willing the tears not to fall. She knew that her classmates didn't really care for her but actually hearing them talk about her like that? It was a whole new level.

Sniffling, she scrambled to her feet to get away before they could see her, not realizing that her book fell to the ground the moment she jumped up. She needed to be back in her room, back where they couldn't see her and she wouldn't hear their cruel voices.

"Excuse me?" a woman's voice made her falter in her steps. Hesitantly, she turned around, coming face to face with a breathtaking asari.

Juniper blushed, furiously rubbing at her cheeks, trying to hide that she'd been crying.

"You lost your book," the asari gave her a smile, holding out the heavy tome riddled with an assortment of colorful page markers.

"Oh," she exhaled, having trouble to stop herself from dumbly staring at the woman.

"A very interesting topic, I have to say. 'Prothean Ruins and Artifacts'. Impressive read."

June blushed even deeper, now pretty sure that her cheeks must be resembling the color of her hair. "Oh…"

"I remembered you humans to be somewhat more eloquent the last time I spoke with one," the asari's eye twitched in mirth.

"I uh.." June felt like slapping herself. 'Get it together, June. She's just a kind stranger. One you probably won't ever see again after today.' She took a deep breath and cleared her throat. "I am a scientist. Or, well, on the way of becoming one?" she added the last part when the asari gave her a doubtful look. "I'll be helping out at the Mars Archives. Leaving in a week's time, actually."

Finally, the teen took her book from the woman's outstretched hand. "Thank you for getting this back to me. I didn't notice-"

"Of course you didn't," the asari interrupted her. "I couldn't help but overhear.. These girls were talking about you, were they not?"

Juniper sighed but nodded.

"Thought so. Don't let them bother you. There will always be people who are jealous of us and our success, people who don't understand us or the way we live, people who don't like us for whatever reason. – You can't let them pull you down."

"You sound like an expert on this..."

"I suppose one could consider me one." The woman gave her a weak smile. "But sadly, that is a story for another time. I have to get back to the congress. It was a pleasure meeting you,…"

"June," the girl supplied, giving the asari one of her adorable but rather awkward smiles.

"June. Until we meet again."

And then Juniper watched her walk away with that fluidity and grace that only the race of the asari seemed to possess. She watched on until she saw her disappear in one of the buildings, only now realizing that she hadn't gotten the stranger's name.

–––––––– **A couple weeks later, the Mars Archives**

"And you're sure you don't want me to come and visit you?" Ellen asked over the open vidcom link, mustering her daughter with worried eyes.

June grimaced. She shouldn't have told her mother about the incident a few days ago. Now she would nag her until June would finally "allow" her to come and visit.

"Mom, really. It's nothing. Nothing happened and the station is being watched even more closely by the security personnel now. I'm fine, barely got into the-"

"You shouldn't have gotten into a fight at all!" the holographic transmission of Ellen Ryder tiredly rubbed at her eyes. "I'm worried about you, Juni. It is my-"

"- job. I know mom. But I swear I'll be fine. The atta-"

The power went off and with it, everything around her went dark.

Great. That was exactly what she needed. Her mother would be worried out of her mind now… Hell, she was probably already leaving her lab and hopping onto the next shuttle to take her to the Citadel's docking area.

Sighing, Juniper stepped away from the console. It was a good thing that she was a biotic. If she only pushed a small amount of energy into the tips of her fingers, she could emanate just enough power to slightly brighten her surroundings; then, she could find her way back to-

 _CRASH_.

The teen almost jumped out of her own skin when glass was loudly shattered somewhere close to the comm's room. She wondered if Kaelus had run into something again.. Merely a week ago, the atypically clumsy salarian had knocked over one of the more expensive telescopes up in the visitor's lounge. It was a small wonder that the scientist was still allowed to enter the laboratories, with all the expensive equipment around.

"Kaelus?" June called out, carefully feeling her way through the door and into the next room, channeling her biotics into her fingertips. "Kae- Oh my god! Kaelus!"

In the eerie blue light of her biotic energy, Juniper could easily recognize the huddled figure on the floor. He was limp and lifeless – and with the bullet hole in his forehead it didn't take a doctor to know he was dead.

"Shit," she cursed under her breath, letting her biotics fade away in case whomever killed the salarian scientist was still around. She'd never seen a dead person before and to see dorky Kaelus like this – a man who'd always taken the time to talk to her even when he was exceptionally busy – it made her stomach twist and turn, her eyes water. She kneeled down before him and closed his eyes with a shaking hand, slightly flinching when it came back bloody. The 16-year-old was about to go and find a place to hide when she heard several gunshots. It sounded suspiciously as if they were coming from the Prothean lab, the one she spent most of her time in. Which meant that the intruders were probably shooting at the people she worked with, people she was starting to consider friends.

"Fuck!" The decision had been made in seconds. The people in her lab were scientists and researchers. They weren't trained for combat, they weren't soldiers.

June however... Well, she did have her biotics for one. Plus, her father had sometimes taken her and Scott to the Armax Arena. It was his idea of a fun day out and even though June preferred having her nose stuck in the pages of a book, she had fond memories of those few days. And they hadn't even been too bad, Scott and herself.

"I can do this," she mumbled to herself, trying to get her courage bolstered up enough to walk into the Prothean lab. "This is just like the Arena, only with real lives at stake and the real chance of getting-"

June broke off. This wasn't exactly helping. Forcing her shoulders to relax, she quietly crept through the door and into the room. The red lights of the escape route were enough for her to see two figures huddled behind an upturned desk, as well as a much bigger one holding a rifle and stomping through the room, probably searching for the hiding scientists.

A krogan.

 _CRACK_.

Juniper watched with horror as the huge soldier turned towards the sound. One of the scientists must've knocked over a vial or something. He aimed his weapon and was about to fire, when something knocked into him, hard. It wasn't nearly enough for the krogan to lose his balance, but his shields were down and he'd dropped his gun. Still trying to get her bearings from the charge, June jumped for the shotgun.

She got to it just a moment before its owner and swiftly threw it to the hiding scientists, knowing a gun wouldn't be of much help from the close range she was in. At least this way, he didn't have a gun either.

June tried to move out of the krogan's range but she wasn't fast enough. The warrior charged at her and before she could really realize what was happening, she was out cold.

––––––––– **A few hours later, med bay, Mars**

"… was very brave, Mrs. Ryder … brave but foolish … a human, charging at a krogan! … lucky, she didn't break every single bone ..."

"… got that from Alec … my husband … wish they weren't so much alike sometimes … of course, they'd both deny it."

Snippets of a conversation reached Juniper's conscience. One of the voices definitely belonged to her mother and though she couldn't quite guess the second speaker, her voice sounded oddly familiar as well.

With effort, she managed to open her eyes but her eyelids felt so heavy, it was hard to keep them open. Her vision was blurry and it was starting to become hard to breathe.

"Shhh, June. It's all right, we've got you. Relax and close your eyes, the sedative will wear off in a moment." The unidentified voice spoke close to her ear and June felt shivers break out over her skin, unconsciously leaning closer to the source of the voice.

"Juni," her mom spoke close to her other ear, one of her hands gently running over her cheek. "Rest a little while longer, baby. You'll be perfectly fine, baby," her voice sounded rough with tears. "You'll be fine. Dr. T'Perro has been taking very good care of you, we're lucky she was visiting the station at the time of attack."

Dr. T'Perro. So that's who the other person was. However, the name didn't really ring a bell. Who was she? And why did she sound so familiar?

Juniper's eyes fluttered open once more. She saw her mother's worried face, the tear streaks on her cheeks.

Then, she turned her head and caught a glimpse of blue. She closed her eyes when they became too heavy once more, only to force them open again.

Dr. T'Perro. So that was her name; or at least part of it.

The asari she'd talked to on the Citadel.

"Good morning, June," the woman spoke, a small smile on her lips. "It is nice to see you again, even though I would've hoped for different circumstances. You gave your mother here quite the scare."

"I didn't get your name last time," it was the first thing that came to her mind.

The doctor chuckled. "Well, I only learned from your mother that June wasn't your full name either." The asari's forehead scrunched up in equivalent to a raised brow. "It's Lexi. Dr. Lexi T'Perro."

"She saved your life, Juni. If not for her…" her mother broke off, the thought too painful to put into words. "Dr. Khalo managed to kill the krogan with the weapon you threw to them. But he had already charged you, pinned you against a wall…" Ellen sobbed. "The internal bleeding was… it was touch and go, Juni. Do you hear me? Don't you ever do anything like that again!"

June's face fell at her mother's distress and she reached out to draw her into a hug, wincing when the pain wouldn't allow her the action.

Lexi placed a hand on the teen's shoulder to stop her from moving. "Rest, Juniper. It will take a few days for all of your broken bones to heal. There's only so much medicine can do, even as advanced as it has become."

The girl grumbled but obediently relaxed back into the mattress, soon succumbing to the strong lure of sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

 **'Thank you' to everyone who took the time to review :)**

* * *

Dr. T'Perro had extended her stay on Mars – she'd originally only stopped at the red planet to talk to one of the researchers studying krogan physiology – but the day her patient recovered, she'd had to leave the station and head back to the Citadel.

Now June was back on her feet and almost wished she wasn't. She'd enjoyed the doctor's company – maybe even a little too much – and had been sad to see her go.

Her mother however was a whole different story. After the second attack on the station, Ellen Ryder had seemingly set up camp in one of the many laboratories, working from Mars instead of returning home.

"Mom?" Juniper strolled into the room, careful not to wipe any of the equipment of the tables or upset any of the machines. "You busy?"

Ellen looked up from a datapad she was studying, smiling at her daughter. "For you, I have a few minutes."

"That's good to hear," June took one of the stools, nervously running her fingers through her long side-swept bangs. "I uh.. I wanted to talk to you about something." The girl took a deep breath. She had thought long and hard about this and had decided that it was what she needed to be doing. But she also knew that while Dr. Ellen Ryder, scientist and biotic implant developer, would understand, her mother would definitely not.

Ellen frowned, seeing the serious expression on June's face. What was her daughter up to? She had a bad feeling in her stomach... The way her little girl was fiddling with her hands, fidgeting on the stool? She was not going to like what she was about to tell her.

"I've enlisted with the Alliance Peace Keeping Force," Juniper blurted out, knowing talking around the bush would not be helping matters. She quickly continued, seeing how her mother opened her mouth to protest. "Dr. Khalo has approached me a few days ago to thank me for saving his and Dr. Nakamura's lives. And he gave me a brochure, telling me that a group of researchers would soon travel to Feros to further study the Prothean ruins there. I-"

"No way am I letting you go, Juniper Ryder!" Ellen yelled, bringing her fist down on the table, vials and telescope lenses dangerously clinking together. "This is way too dangerous and-"

"Dad already approved of my decision when I talked to him via vidcom. He signed off on the enlisting papers. – I... I knew you wouldn't want me to go, mom. But it's what I want to do. The science team needs people who can protect them while they are working. And I know that I can be one of these people. I've finally found what I'm supposed to-"

"You're not supposed to put yourself in unnecessary danger!" Ellen shook her head in frustration. Of course Alec would see things in a different light. He'd been an N7, an elite soldier. But how could he wish that life on his own daughter? "Oh believe me, you're father and I will be having a talk. But rest assured – you are not going!"

June was about to say something but gulped it back down, instead choosing to storm out of the room, annoyance taking hold of her at the automatic doors. So instead of slamming the door shut behind her, she settled for kicking one of the planters in the hallway, yelping in pain as she'd obviously overestimated her boots. Great. Just great!

 **_2183, Therum**

Four years had come and gone and Juniper had grown from a teen into a young adult.

After her mother had finally given her – admittedly reluctant – okay, June had been a member of the Systems Alliance, her brother soon following somewhat in her footsteps. While Scott was currently training for the N7 physical, a soldier true and true, Juniper's heart still foremost belonged to science and research. They'd uncovered interesting data on Feros, data that still had far-reaching consequences, and when the team had packed up almost a year ago, Juniper had spent a few months back at home with her mother. The Ryders had always been a family of hard-working overachievers, so even back then, she hadn't really seen her father or brother much. Everyone was busy with their own projects but that was just the way it had always been for them.

Currently, Juniper was working off the record, supporting Dr. Liara T'Soni with her research on Therum. The planet didn't have its own colony but the many mines all over the barren surface suggested that people had been living there once. And, just as Liara and June had suspected, those people seemed to have been Protheans.

They'd been scouting mine after mine over the last six months, finally stumbling onto a promising research site in one of them. Prothean ruins. And they were the first to set foot into them – besides their builders of course.

With time, the young asari and the human had grown from colleagues into friends.

When they'd first met – in a small bar on Feros – Liara had been looking for protection on her trip and June had been looking for a new job, a new adventure to go on. In the end, they'd agreed to prepare for the trip and meet on the Citadel in 16 weeks.

Now here they were, excitedly stumbling through the ruins on their third day since finding them.

"So, any calls from your mother lately?" Liara asked without looking up from the piece of a Prothean pillar she was examining.

"No, not yet," June responded, studying the ancient writing on the walls, her scanner always at the ready. "It's been almost a week though, so I bet I'll hear from her soon enough." She looked back at her blue-skinned friend. "How about you? I know you and the Matriarch don't talk that often.."

"She's back in Thessia," Liara replied, turning the piece of architecture in her hands. "Still thinks what I'm doing is a waste of time and that I'm merely doing it to get on her nerves."

The redhead chuckled. "Well, I am a fully grown adult. You however.."

"I am 106 years old, you are merely 20!"

"Yeah, just don't forget that you are an asari. I'm actually the older one of the two of us, you've barely just made it through puberty.."

June laughed as Liara used her biotics to hurl a small rock at her, easily stepping out of the projectile's way.

"Very funny, Ryder. I'll have you know, I am not merely throwing a teenage fit."

"I know, I know," Juniper grinned as she walked over to her friend, playfully nudging her side. "You and me both, we'll go down in history one day, you'll see. As the first to discover a Prothea-"

Out of nowhere, the ground beneath them began to shake and pieces of the ceiling were raining down on them. June ducked, pulling Liara with her and shielding both of them with a biotic barrier.

"What is-"

"Shhh," the human shushed her friend, moving so she could see past the makeshift table they'd build for their findings.

"But-"

"Liara!"

The asari quickly shut up, both women frowning when they heard heavy footsteps and voices echoing from the walls. Someone was there. And they didn't know whether they came in peace or whether June would actually get to use her biotic and combat skills in action. So far, working with Liara had been mostly quiet and uneventful.

Quietly, she lead Liara to the back of the cavernous mine. The further away they got from their unknown guests, the better.

Hiding in some sort of a chamber, the friends watched as a group of heavily armed mercenaries entered their part of the mine. A few salarians, a krogan, as well as several humans.

"Find the doctor," the krogan ordered the group, everyone setting into motion at once. "Saren wants her alive. You can kill the other one."

June gulped. It wasn't every day that one heard their own life being disregarded like that.

"You have to hide, Liara, they-"

"They are far too many for you to take on by yourself, June," Liara interrupted her, holding onto the human's arm, fearful she'd do something stupid if she let go. She knew her friend was brave but sometimes that bravery seemed to seamlessly fade over into pure idiocy. "You'll have to hide with me."

"Liara, it is my job to protect you, I won't just let them take you. The mine isn't that large, they will find us sooner rather than later."

"June."

"No. You hide in here, I'll try to figure something out."

June was about to creep out of their hideout but Liara wasn't having it.

The asari knew that the human was stronger than her, so she did the only thing that came to her mind: She pushed the strange button she'd discovered to her left, hoping against hope that it would somehow do something to safe them.

Of course, things went differently and completely downhill.

 **_Almost four days later**

The stasis field that Liara had triggered was still active, holding both her and Juniper in place, mid-air and in perfect view of the mercenary band.

They'd been trying to blast their way through the barrier to get to the asari but all they'd done so far was weakening the mine, bringing it closer to collapsing with every thing they tried.

And Liara was starting to get really frantic now. June hadn't said a word in many hours, maybe even a day. It was hard to calculate how much time had actually passed since she'd accidentally trapped them. Sure, the barrier kept them away from the mercenaries. But it also caged them, slowly killing them with each minute that went by.

Her friend had already passed out. The human biology didn't allow for lenghty periods without water as the asari biology did. Liara did have another two or three days before things would start to get precarious, June however needed to get help – and soon.

 **_24 hours later, Normandy SR-1**

"Ah, you're awake."

June blinked, her eyes slowly adapting to her bright surroundings. She was lying on a bed and – by the look of things – in the med bay of a spaceship.

"Liara?"

"Your friend is perfectly fine," a human doctor with grey hair and a friendly smile stepped into her line of sight, "She was very worried about you."

"Where am I?"

"You're on the Normandy SR-1, sweetheart. The Alliance's whole pride and glory. Commander Shepard got you and Dr. T'Soni out of the stasis field shortly before the whole mine collapsed. You were lucky. She found you just in time."

"June!" Liara had come to the med bay to check on her friend, her eyes lighting up when she found her awake. She practically flew towards the bed and into June's arms, holding her tight. "You're awake! I was so worried you wouldn't-"

"Don't underestimate Dr. Chakwas," a stranger's voice stopped Liara from uttering the grim thought. "She could probably bring you back from the dead. She's the best there is."

"Flatterer!" Chakwas chuckled, playfully slapping the Commander's arm.

When Liara finally loosened her hold and moved to the side, June could take a first look at their savior.

She was a woman in her early thirties with gleaming green eyes, a scar cutting through her right brow, and shoulder-long dark red hair. She was beautiful but in a rather unconventional way. This woman was a soldier. Handsome and fierce. Stern. Trained to kill.

"Jane Shepard," she squeezed June's shoulder instead of shaking her hand. "You're one hell of a survivor, kid. Where'd you get that impressive scar on your cheek?"

Juniper unconsciously brought her hand up to her right cheek, her fingers ghosting over the honeycombed scarring. "Cryo blast," she muttered, lost in memories. "A souvenir from Feros."

"Huh. I'd love to hear the story behind it. And Feros?" The Commander looked thoughtful. "I actually do have to make a stop there. If you aren't in a hurry, I'd really appreciate to have someone by my side who's already been there?"

 **_2185, spring**

 _"Dear Liara,_

 _I didn't want to believe it but I am glad to hear that the rumors are true, that Jane really was somehow brought back to life. I know how much you care about her and I hope you can pick up where you left off. I've always imagined the cute little band of blue babies you and her would have._

 _The Hyperion is almost ready and I can't say how excited I am to be joining my father's Pathfinder team in Andromeda. Training has been harsh but it is exactly what Scott and I need right now, something to keep us busy. Dad has become even more distant now that mom is gone. I feel and understand his pain but I wish it didn't feel as if I've lost him, too._

 _It saddens me to think that I will never see you again but I know that I've made the right decision. Scott and dad are the only members of my family that remain and no matter how untraditional our family has always been, they still are the ones that hold my heart. I couldn't just let them go without me. Plus, my curiosity got the best of me. I wonder if there is alien life in Andromeda and whether the golden worlds will shape up to be just that. It certainly looks too good to be true, but I suppose after the whole thing with mom and after dad's disgrace with the Alliance, we do deserve a little bit of luck._

 _You, my friend, will always hold a special place in my heart._

 _There will soon be 600 years separating us but I will never forget you. Tell Jane to keep an eye on you._

 _Yours,_

 _Juniper."_


	3. Chapter 3

**-2819, Heleus Cluster**

"Dr. T'Perro, Dr. Carlyle," Captain Dunn's voice rang through the doctors' comms in Ark Hyperion's med bay. "Please go ahead and get the members of the Pathfinder team out of cryostasis. The Pathfinder wants his children as well as Harper on the bridge as soon as possible."  
"Have we reached our destination, ma'am?" Harry Carlyle asked excitedly while Lexi already moved into action, picking up a data pad and searching for the tag 'Pathfinder team'.  
"We are two short hours away from Habitat 7," Dunn confirmed. "Alec wants the shuttles to leave in about an hour and a half. That won't be a problem, will it?"  
"No, Captain," Lexi responded this time. "No problem at all. They'll be ready."  
"Perfect. Oh and Dr. Carlyle? The Pathfinder wants you to come along planetside. In case there are any medical emergencies."  
"Of course."  
"Captain out."  
Harry joined his co-worker and friend, peering over her shoulder as she drew up the data they needed.  
"You take the first three numbers, I'll take the second half," Lexi divided the stasis pods, handing Carlyle the pad as she moved towards one of the several rows of cryo pods adjoining the med bay, numbers etched into her memory.  
Quickly, she interfaced the waiting console, ordering for the first of the three pods to be brought down.  
Her omni-tool identified the sleeper as Cora Harper, female, 28, a human biotic who'd trained alongside a commando of asari huntresses. Interesting. Interesting indeed.  
The data from her scan also told her that she was the Pathfinder's second-in-command, the one who would take over his duties should he fall.  
"Bertrand, Marissa," the doctor called out for two of her assistants. "Get down stasis pods #379 and #258. Help them get their bearings and bring them out for examination once they're awake enough to walk."  
"Yes, Dr. T'Perro. On it." The two humans jogged away to do her bidding.  
In the meantime, Lexi opened the stasis pod in front of her. It was time for Cora Harper to wake up from her 634-year-long slumber.

 **-Twenty minutes later**

June was sitting on one of the examination cots, rubbing at her tired eyes. She hadn't really arrived yet.  
Her body – even though she felt like a living popsicle – yes.  
Her mind? Well, that would probably take a little while to catch up. She knew she'd only truly believe it once she set foot on one of the golden worlds, taking a deep breath of Andromeda's air.  
The Initiative's founder, Jien Garson, was on repeat in some kind of holographic advertisement in the background, talking about new beginnings and a better future for everyone.  
And god, did she want to believe it. Truly did. Nothing had been the same ever since her mother had passed away a few months prior to their departure. Ellen's endless love had been the glue holding together their little family and with her gone-  
"Sounds too good to be true, doesn't it?"  
The voice immediately sent shivers all over her pale skin, her head shooting up so quickly, she was surprised her neck didn't crack in protest.  
"Dr. T'Perro," June stared at the woman open-mouthed, now rather sure she was still in cryostasis, dreaming. How high could the chances be of running into her like that? Of all people?  
Lexi blinked a few times. Red hair, dimples, as well as the bluest eyes she'd ever seen. The scarring on her cheek was new but there was no doubt: "Juniper?"  
"You know each other, Dr. T'Perro?" SAM's robotic voice rang through the room, simultaneously garnering the attention from both women.  
"Yes, SAM. We met on the Citadel a couple years ago."  
"Well, technically its been over 600 years now, hasn't it? I'm not sure I'd call that 'a couple years'.." Ryder smirked at the asari, no longer totally reduced to the nervous, blushing teenager she'd once been.  
"I suppose that's true," Lexi nodded, fiddling with her omni-tool and getting it ready for a quick check-up. "It is nice to see you again."  
"You, too. I'd never have imagined to see you again. Certainly not as one of the first three faces I see after thawing. You look nice."  
"I uh, thank you, Ryder. You have certainly… matured," Lexi awkwardly said, glad that her blue skin didn't show blushing that easily. Her cheeks felt warm under the human's intense scrutiny. "I'd have preferred to see you in one piece though. What happened?" she asked, noticing the tell-tale scarring of a cryo blast on the young woman's right cheek.  
"Oh, that. A little souvenir from my Alliance days on Feros. Batarian pirate." June turned her face away from the beautiful doctor, trying to divert her attention to anywhere else. She knew the scar didn't exactly look pretty…  
"You have certainly gotten around," Lexi stated, gently guiding the redhead's face back to where it had been, a gloved finger shortly resting atop her chin. "It doesn't look ugly, Juniper. I merely would've wished for you to not have encountered such pain." The doctor pulled her hand away from Ryder's face and ghosted her fingers over her omni-tool. "Let's get you checked out. The Pathfinder needs you ready as soon as possible."  
June's pale blue eyes lit up at that. "Dad wants me ready? Did we reach a planet yet?"  
"Your father is the... of course he is. Ryder. Alec Ryder," the asari stated more to herself than to the young scientist. "Yes, we are close to Habitat 7. We were instructed to get the whole Pathfinding team out of cryostasis. – Now, follow my fingers with your eyes. Look here. … And here. Good. SAM?"  
"Yes, Dr. T'Perro?"  
"Let's see if your implant is working correctly. How are you feeling, Juniper?"  
"Like a 600-year-old human popsicle," June joked, flexing her arms.  
"I agree. Ryder's adenosine levels are still slightly elevated."  
"Noted. Thank you, SAM."  
"My what levels?"  
Lexi smiled, looking up from the datapad she was scribbling on. "It just means you're still a little tired, still waking up. But that is all perfectly normal. You're good to go."  
Juniper wasn't sure whether she was happy or sad about the dismissal. Of course, it was good that she was healthy and all. But she would've liked to get more time to talk to-  
Before she could think any more about it, the ground began to shake and a loud scraping noise rang through the med bay. Lexi and June fell to the floor as the Ark seemingly experienced turbulences of some kind, the whole ship lurching sideways.  
Seeing the imminent danger, June acted quickly and drew up a barrier, shielding herself and the asari doctor from a cryo pod that was sliding towards them.  
However, she would not be able to hold this up forever.  
She glanced at Lexi, relieved to see her unharmed, lying on the floor right next to her.  
"What just happened?"

"I don't know. It almost felt as though we've collided with something..." The asari trailed off, gathering her bearings and supporting Juniper's shield with her own. "Your biotics are quite impressive, June. They already were back on Mars but this is the first time I'm witnessing them firsthand."  
"Mom got in contact with a lot of element zero during her research. Only noticed she was pregnant when it was pretty much too late already. Somehow the eezo clung to me only – I got the whole brunt of it while Scott stayed untouched. It was touch and go for a couple of days but they managed to keep me alive. Mom alway said I was her 'little survivor'..."  
"Element zero does favor females in most races," Lexi nodded to herself, always the doctor. "It would make sense that it would attach itself to the female fetus in case of twins. Where–"  
Suddenly gravity inside of the med bay shifted and June and Lexi, along with everyone else, found themselves floating through the air.  
"Just a moment!"  
June immediately recognized the new voice as Cora's, her father's second-in-command. She'd been training under his tutelage for the past four years (before they'd gone to cryo sleep at least) and probably knew him better than she or Scott ever would. "I'll get you down in a second!"  
Though often stern, law-abiding to a fault and almost over-professional, June had quickly warmed up to the biotic, sometimes even training alongside her. Cora was a good woman with her heart in the right place; even if it didn't always shine through her seemingly cold demeanor.  
The human asari commando floated gracefully into the room, her lips morphing into a smirk as she saw how June struggled to even stay upright.

Yeah, well. June was a traditional gal. She definitely preferred her feet on solid ground.

Cora hit a button and everyone and everything – like the equipment, several stasis pods, and beds – fell back to the ground, the gravity inside the room now intact once more.  
Grumbling, Juniper got back up onto her feet, embarrassed that the beautiful asari as well as Cora had seen her rough landing, preceded by her inelegant floating. Great…

"I suggest further balance training sessions in a low gravity environment," SAM gave his two cents, always 'helpful'. Thankfully enough, everyone pretty much ignored the AI for now.  
"What happened?" June wanted to know, crossing her arms in front of her chest and sounding like a petulant child.  
"We hit something… not sure what it is exactly, but it is huge and tried to draw us further in.." Cora seemed somewhat alarmed. That was a bad thing in itself. Not many things were able to shake up the lieutenant. "You'll see soon enough. I was actually sent here to get you and take you to the bridge. We'll have to gear up soon."  
"Oh, right, I will-"  
"You might wish to stay another moment." Dr. Carlyle interrupted the trail of thought. "Scott's stasis pod…"  
"He's all right? Harry? Tell me he's all right. Please." June's voice went from worried to panicky in the matter of seconds once her eyes fell onto the fuming pod.  
"Oh I'm sure he's just fine. The Ryders are a tough bunch," the graying man tried to sound reassuring as he ran a scan of the partly broken pod. "SAM?"  
"Heart rate and blood pressure are normal but his brain is sending out confusing signals. The crash could have shortly interrupted Scott's cryostasis."  
"I'll monitor and keep him in a coma for now," Lexi announced, getting to work on freeing the young man from the pod. "You go and get ready. All of you. Scott will be fine."  
Somewhat convinced that her brother would be okay, Juniper nodded and joined Cora by the door. They were still expected on the bridge.  
"I'll meet you in the shuttle bay," Carlyle called after them, turning back to his colleague who was raising a non-existent brow at him. "What?"  
"You know the Ryders?"  
"Yeah. Been a friend of the family ever since Alec saved my ass during First Contact. It's been a rough few months for them..." he sighed, scratching his neck as he watched Lexi and several medical assistants get Scott out of his cryo pod. "The more interesting question is however: How do you know Juniper and why the heck are you allowed to call her by her full name?"


	4. Chapter 4

Habitat 7 was not shaping up to be the 'tropical paradise' they'd dubbed it as back in the Milky Way.

First, their shuttle had been ruptured in two, then, her jump jets didn't work as they were supposed to – god, she would definitely have nightmares about that free fall towards the rocky ground! – and now she was stranded, alone on a foreign planet that seemed to be out to kill her. Figures. That was just her kind of luck…

She wished she wouldn't have lost all connection to SAM as well. But no; SAM as well as her comm stayed dead.

As of now, she was hiding in an alcove in the huge scarp, trying to not be grilled by one of the hundreds of lightning bolts that illuminated the darkened sky each minute.

This was not a tropical paradise. This was scarcely more than a huge rock with unbelievably bad weather and unbreathable, radiative air. The only plants she'd seen so far were radioactive, strangely glowing huge mushrooms – no sight of the beautiful palm trees they'd been promised.

However, to June, even Habitat 7 was beautiful. Darkly beautiful and dangerous. It was definitely not habitable though.

Knowing that she couldn't stay in her little safe spot forever, June darted out of the alcove, running and jumping from cover to cover, forever grateful for the now perfectly working jump jets.

She had to find the others.

 **Meanwhile on the Hyperion**

"Dr. T'Perro?" Lexi's comm crackled to live. She was currently running another scan on the comatose Ryder sibling. She'd promised to take good care of him and she was not one to break a promise. So far, his vitals looked good.

"Captain?" she responded absent-mindedly, pouring herself a cup of tea.

"There's been a situation on Habitat 7. Prep the med bay for possible emergencies."

"What happened?" Lexi asked, almost dropping the mug.

"The shuttles ran into some turbulences when entering the planet's atmosphere. It looked like a lightning strike from up here, though I can't be sure. The…" the captain cleared her throat. "Shuttle 2 burst apart in the middle. We've lost comm connection to all of them and their SAM seems to be offline as well."

Shuttle 2. Lexi was wondering if that had been the one June had been in. Or Carlyle? Her stomach tensed uncomfortably at the thought of the two humans being hurt… or worse.

"Dr. T'Perro?"

The asari quickly recovered her senses. "I understand, Captain Dunn. Med bay will be ready."

"Good. Dunn out."

 **Habitat 7, a while after**

After what felt like forever, June had finally stumbled over Liam. She would've preferred anyone else really – not to get her wrong, Liam seemed like a decent enough guy – but in the end she was just glad not to be alone on this god-forsaken planet anymore. Beggars couldn't be choosers…

She just wished he would stop talking once in a while. Or stop ogling her backside… She felt naked under his penetrant stare and she did not like it one bit. For now, she needed to try and concentrate on other things. There'd be enough time to talk to him about the staring later, when they were safe and back on the Hyperion.

She kept running and dodging the lightning bolts when suddenly her eyes caught a glimpse of red lights not too far away. Flares.

Picking up her pace, June almost didn't see the chasm before it was too late. She skidded to a halt, examining the area. Even with the jump jets and one hell of a run-up, the distance from one ledge to the other was still too far to cross.

Cursing under her breath, she noticed a cave further down to her right. Ignoring a protesting Liam, she headed for the entrance, hoping the cave would turn out to be a tunnel to the other side.

 **Ark Hyperion, bridge**

"Hyperion, this is the Pathfinder. I need an immediate emergency extraction at my coordinates."

"Pathfinder, this is Captain Dunn. The shuttle is on its way but it will take another two minutes to arrive."

"Damn it!"

"Alec?"

Lexi was waiting with bated breath for the Pathfinder to continue talking, to let her now what she needed to prepare for.

"Alec?"

For a moment, all they could hear was labored breathing. Then, they heard a woman's pained voice over Alec Ryder's comm. Juniper.

"Dad, it… it hurts so much…"

"I know," there was a click, then the sound of raspy breathing. "SAM, initiate transfer."

"On it, Pathfinder. Starting transfer."

"Deep breaths, Juni. Deep breaths. You will be fine... I am sorry I... didn't tell you... more often…" The Pathfinder's voice sounded more and more strained. "I am proud of you… Tell Scott…"

His voice broke off, the static of the open comm link the only thing that could be heard for a few seconds that felt like eternity.

"Transfer complete." SAM's robotic voice echoed through the deadly silent bridge.

"June!" Cora. "Stay with us. Help is on the way."

"Make room!" Harry. "June, can you hear me? June! … She's going into cardiac arrest."

"There. The shuttle!" Liam.

"Hyperion?"

"We copy. The med bay is ready and waiting for your arrival."

Lexi moved as if in a trance, her legs carrying her through the door and onto the tram of their own accord, taking her back to the med bay.

It took another five minutes for the shuttle to arrive, Lexi nervously pacing the room, counting the equipment for the fifth time.

"Lexi, give me a hand!" Harry charged into the room, followed by Cora and Liam Kosta, who was carrying a limp Juniper in his arms.

The former police officer placed the young woman on one of the cots, quickly taking a few steps back as the two doctors almost bumped into him in their haste to get to the patient.

'A patient,' Lexi reminded herself. Juniper was just another patient, just like everyone else. Except, somehow she wasn't. Somehow it felt as if there was much more on stake than just another patient's life.

However, she needed to think clearly. So 'patient' it was.

"She's going into cardiac arrest!"

"Move", Lexi barked out, the two electrically charged omni pedals already in her hands. She quickly placed them onto the girl's chest, letting the first wave of energy rush through the unmoving body.

"No signs of life detected," SAM informed her.

Lexi charged the pedals again, bringing them down with a little more force. "Come on, Ryder! Dammit!"

"There is still no heart beat, Dr. T'Perro."

"SAM," the asari began, trailing off as a thought struck her mind. "Help me, we have to take her to SAM node!"

 **SAM node, two hours later**

"She should've woken up by now…"

"You did everything you could, Lexi. She will wake up. Trust me," Harry tried to reassure his colleague and friend, noticing the obvious distress she was in with a certain curiosity. Of course, Lexi always cared about her patients, always took it hard when one of them suffered or even died. This however? This was out of character for the professional woman, this seemed like something... more.

It was definitely a thought worth hanging onto. Not right now though.

"I'll go check on Scott, can't lose another Ryder."

The asari absent-mindedly nodded, barely even listening to his words. 'Why wouldn't she just wake up?'

"It is considered rude to stare, did you know?" The voice was quiet, barely there, but she'd definitely heard it.

Lexi was at the redhead's side in the matter of seconds, even beating Liam to it, who had – much to her irritation – set up camp on the floor next to the cot they'd rolled into SAM node.

"Juniper," the asari breathed out the name, barely above a whisper. It sounded like a prayer.

"What happened?" the young scientist wanted to know, trying to sit up but wincing in pain as she tried to. "I... oh no…" recognition dawned on June's face. "Dad… where is he? Did he make it back all right?"

Lexi hadn't even opened her mouth when Harry was already pulling the redhead into his arms. She hadn't even noticed him slip back into the room.

"I'm sorry, June. He didn't make it. I tried-"

"I know you did," June whispered in his embrace, a lone tear trailing down her cheek. She knew that now wasn't the time for her to fall apart. Not after what they'd discovered on Habitat 7, not with Scott still hanging in the ropes.. It was difficult to hold herself together though. "He was your friend. You would've done everything to save him."

"He sacrificed himself for you. He-"

"He transferred his SAM to you and made you the new Pathfinder," Cora strode into the room, barely acknowledging anyone. Her posture was stiff, her lips a harsh line.

"Me?" Ryder shook her head, confused. "But you were-"

"...His second-in-command. I guess now I am yours."

"But I wasn't trained to do this, I can't-"

"But now you are." Cora's voice was cold, nothing like June had ever heard it before. "Be on the bridge in-"

"She needs time to rest!" Lexi finally interrupted the human, looking at her with a look of reproach. How could she treat her like that? Didn't she understand that the younger woman had just lost her father? Not to mention that Lexi had been in for a very unpleasant surprise when she wanted to find and wake Ellen from cryostasis earlier. She hadn't known about Ellen Ryder's death, not until Harry had told her about it between waiting on the shuttle and rushing to get June to the med bay. The Ryder twins were orphans now. "To rest and grief."

With a last look at the asari doctor, Cora all but stormed out of SAM node. "You have half an hour before we reach the Nexus."

"Don't worry, Ryder. You can learn on the job as you go. I'm sure you'll be a great Pathfinder. And you won't be alone," Liam smiled at the young woman, obviously rather infatuated with the beautiful scientist.

Lexi didn't exactly like the way he looked at June, but she appreciated his words, whatever their underlying reasons may be. It was at least miles better than how Cora had acted. Right now, Dr. Lexi T'Perro was not a fan of Cora Harper. Not at all.


	5. Chapter 5

A mere 11 hours, twenty-five minutes and 13 seconds ago, June had still been in cryostasis, peacefully dreaming of a better future.

Now, everything had changed. In the matter of half a day, the 22-year-old had become an orphan, stranded in a foreign and so far hostile galaxy, tasked to save thousands from imminent starvation and find them a new home while the authorities breathed down on her neck and the thoughts of her comatose brother followed her around every corner. No pressure of course.

It didn't help that the silly little crush she'd harbored on Lexi back when she was sixteen had seemingly returned full force…

Oh, and Cora of course. Sulky, mad, royally pissed off Cora.

However, on the bright side, she'd also gotten a ship. The most beautiful she'd ever seen. The Tempest.

With a ship like that, almost everything felt possible. And she hadn't even really seen most of it yet.

She'd been too tired to do the rounds; so after meeting the crew – and happily realizing that they'd transfered Lexi T'Perro to the Tempest crew – she'd collapsed face first on her bed.

 **Tempest - med bay**

Lexi was nervous about her new position as the Tempest's ship physician. Of course, she'd always wanted to work out in the field and not in a quiet little lab far away from all the action. But this? This was huge.

From her few run-ins with Ryder, she knew that their new Pathfinder was a risk-taker. And now, the fate of the whole project seemed to rest on the young human's shoulders, Lexi being responsible for her physical and mental wellbeing.

She looked up when she heard a silent bing and the sound of doors sliding apart. Wondering if June was already awake – she'd gone to her quarters earlier to SAM announcing that she was sound asleep – she slipped her head through the med bay doors, frowning when her eyes landed on Cora, who was marching towards the Pathfinder's quarters.

"Oh no – you stop right there or I swear I shall hurt you!" She stepped into the quiet hallway, glaring at the woman.

Cora Harper merely raised a brow at the asari, raising her hand to knock on June's door.

"I told you to stop!"

"What's your deal? We've reached Eos and-"

"And your Pathfinder needs her rest! Do you not remember what happened today? Do you care so little?"

"I do. But we've reached Eos and we need to-"

"No. I forbid you from waking her. First and foremost we all need a healthy Pathfinder. This day so far was both physically and mentally straining for her. And as her doctor, as this ship's doctor, I will not let you risk her health just because of your hurt ego!

"This is not about my-"

"Jeez, will you two shut up?" They hadn't noticed how the doors had opened, hadn't noticed how June had stepped out of her quarters behind them. The young woman was massaging her temples, her forehead furrowed.

She was pale, Lexi noticed. And her eyes seemed dull. When she realized that her and Cora's heated argument had probably woken the girl, she blushed. This was just great. Her first day on the ship and already she was making things worse. Maybe she was even responsible for June's obvious headache.

"Are you all right?" she asked, her voice atypically small.

"Yeah. Just a.. a headache. Nothing to worry about," Juniper softened her voice when she addressed the asari, knowing she'd only been trying to 'protect' her. It was good to know that she had her back. At least someone did…

Her smile faded when she turned to Cora. "I'll take a quick shower – then we can go. Tell Liam to be ready in half an hour."

The blonde opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but finally settled on a curt nod before she walked away.

"Are you sure you don't need me to check you-"

"I'm fine, Dr. T'Perro. Promise. Stop worrying. I'll be a whole new person after I've taken that shower."

Lexi frowned but nodded. "If you say so. But come see me if you feel any worse."

"Will do, Doc."

"And Juniper?"

"Huh?"

"Call me Lexi; it seems only fair."

The young redhead beamed at the asari. "Sure. Thank you, Lexi."

 **Eos, Promise**

Eos was… well… Juniper wasn't sure there were words to describe the planet.

Eos was first and foremost a desert planet. It was dry and sandy and the red mountains all around reminded June of photos she'd seen of the Grand Canyon on Earth.

The plant life was scarce but held its very own charm – at least that's what she thought. They weren't cacti and they weren't palm trees, rather something in between but unlike anything else she'd ever seen.

There were also some lakes across the planet's surface and Juniper had wondered whether the water was warm enough for a swim, right before SAM had informed her and the others of the extremely high radiation.

The temperature on Eos moved around the 20°C degree mark, warm but not too warm, much like a mild spring day. Eos being a desert though, June was fairly certain that nights would be cold if not freezing. She was grateful for the advanced environment and temperature controlling features of her Pathfinder Scout Armor. However, even the best armor set couldn't protect her from the radiation for more than five minutes.

They'd landed in the area of Promise, Eos' first outpost site, where thankfully the shield generators were still working, keeping the radiation at an acceptable level. June was itching to take her helmet off but then… Well. She remembered the last time she'd been on a planet without a helmet. Involuntarily but still. She would never forget Habitat 7 or the way her lungs had been about to collapse, the feeling of breathing in fire and ice at the very same time.

Cora and Liam were mostly quiet, following after her like loyal soldiers, as June took the lead. Taking the lead wasn't the hard part of being the new Pathfinder. Her natural curiosity and her love for science and everything new made Juniper the perfect explorer. There would never be a cave, a house, or anything really she'd simply pass by; she needed to know their hidden secrets.

So here she was, excitedly moving from one abandoned outpost house to the other, her squad dutifully accompanying her.

At least, until Cora sighed through their linked comms.

"I do not think we'll find anything else here, Pathfinder. Let's move on."

'Pathfinder'. Not June. Cora's obvious distance stung but June knew there wasn't anything she could do but wait for the older woman to cool off on her own.

"We won't know that until we've checked it ourselves," June replied from the entrance of what seemed to be a science lab. "Be my guest and wait outside though."

Alone, she entered the building, her eyes darting left and right to clear the area for any possible threats. She found none.

But she did find the lifeless body of a female scientist, carelessly forgotten about and slowly starting to rot.

Glad that her helmet shielded her from the stench she knew must be filling the room, Juniper gently rolled the dead woman onto her back, running the scanner.

"Dr. Marcy Cooper," SAM announced, putting a name to the rigid face. "Died from multiple gun shots to her chest. Most likely a kett-made rifle with a 89% probability."

June's face hardened at the mention of the kett. After Habitat 7 and learning more about them on the Nexus, Juniper knew peace was not a possibility. And she'd hunt them all down.

For her father.

For Dr. Cooper.

For everyone.

June was about to turn around and go but she really didn't like the idea of leaving the Doctor behind, all alone and… No. She would not leave this woman behind like everyone else had done.

It was bad enough that June had to leave her mother behind. She briefly wondered whether her grave was even still there – more than 600 years had passed after all – but quickly forced herself to get her mind back on track.

"SAM, can you call Lexi for me?"

"Of course."

"Ryder?" the asari's voice came over the intercom only seconds later.

"Lexi, I uh… Could you arrange for an extraction? I found a body. Dr. Marcy Cooper. She deserves a real burial… I'm, I'm sorry I contacted you. I didn't know whom else to-"

"It's perfectly fine, Juniper. I am a doctor after all, so I suppose I'm more used to death and bodies than anyone else would be." There was a short pause and June could hear Lexi fiddle around with something in the background. "Get the coordinates to me and I'll arrange for pick-up. And Juniper?"

"Yeah?"

"If you happen to find further… Just reach out to me, yes?"

"I will. Thank you, Lexi."

 **Tempest, LZ nearby Promise**

When June got back from scouting Eos, all she wanted to do was sleep. The day had been rather successful to say the least. They had a new all-terrain vehicle – a Nomad that'd been left behind in a sealed off container – and the radiation on Eos was slowly but surely ebbing away. The discovery of the 'Remnant' and their structures had been a milestone for their colonization efforts. If each of the planets possessed such climate control vaults, maybe it was even possible to bring Habitat 7 back to life. Of course there were still many issues to deal with on Eos, as well as a decision to make. Addison wanted to establish an outpost as soon as the radiation was fully gone and June was to decide whether it would be a military base or a scientific research station and while her heart beat for the latter, she wasn't sure it was the right choice.

Her mind drifted once again to the sweet lure of rest and sleep.

But there were reports to write, new crew members to assign, and–

"Ah, there you are," Lexi's voice broke her trail of thought and despite her exhausted self, June found herself smiling at the asari. "I'll need to take a blood sample before you retire. To check for any signs of lingering radiation in your systems."

"I don't feel sick."

"Which is great – but it doesn't mean you aren't. No back talking. You're coming with me."

June wanted to protest but merely settled for a loud and dramatic sigh before following the doctor into the med bay and sitting down on one of the cots, idly dangling her legs.

"So I hear you picked up two new crew members?"

"Yes," Juniper confirmed, rolling up the sleeves of her shirt. "A krogan named Drack and an asari named Peebee. Is that an actual name? She wouldn't tell me."

"It is not. At least not that I've heard of," Lexi approached Juniper with the syringe, her fingers gliding over Ryder's right arm in search of a good vein. "So, a krogan, huh?"

June curiously eyed the doctor whose voice had audibly perked up. "Yeah. And he's pretty old, too. Peebee said something about him merely having left the life expectancy of a human now. Maybe even less."

"I haven't had the chance to study a krogan warrior of his age in all my years!" the doctor sounded excited. "Do you think he'd let me do a couple examinations?"

Juniper chuckled. "Well, you're the doctor, remember? Just tell him they're necessary and required for all crew members. – What's so interesting about the krogan anyway?"

In her excitement, Lexi entered the needle with a little too much force; however, the human barely even flinched.

"I'm sorry, I-"

"It's fine," June replied, trying to be brave and nonchalant while in her mind she was cursing. "So?"

"Oh, yes. The krogan. I've studied them for a long time. I wrote my doctor's thesis about 'Krogan Virility and Aggression'. I did my doctorate in Alien Biology and Genetics. They are quite a fascinating race." Lexi drew the blood and quickly sealed the small puncture wound with medi gel.

"I'd love to hear more," Juniper stated, not knowing where the words were coming from or how the heck to stop herself from saying the next. "Maybe over dinner?"

Dr. T'Perro looked rather uncomfortable and Juniper immediately regretted her forward flirting. However, now the words were already on the table.

"I'm sorry, Ryder. But you're not exactly my type," Lexi finally settled for what she thought was the most gentle letdown and hoped that the young woman would let it go.

She didn't.

"What's your type?" June blurted out, her curiosity once more getting the best of her.

"Not a patient."

"Oh…"

Lexi noticed how the girl's face fell and shortly felt like hitting herself. It wasn't that the girl wasn't her type, just… Well. There were so many reasons speaking against a closer relationship between them that Lexi could barely make note of them at the same time.

1 - Juniper Ryder WAS her patient.

2 - Lexi had sworn off romantic relationships for the foreseeable future.

3 - Humans didn't live long. It'd break her heard to lose her mate so soon, having to live many centuries without her.

4 - Juniper was young, barely an adult.

5 - The young woman also was the Pathfinder. Nothing should interfere with-

Her inner ramblings were interrupted by the doors sliding shut and immediately, Lexi felt bad. She'd been so out of it, that she hadn't heard the girl's goodbye nor had gifted her with any reaction. Juniper probably thought the worst of her now…

The asari was about to bolt through the doors herself, when she reminded herself that she was not on board the Tempest to make friends. And, she definitely wasn't there to fall in love with the young and beautiful human Pathfinder, no matter how difficult that might prove to be.

No, maybe it was for the best that June wouldn't think as highly of her anymore. It'd make things easier for both of them.

* * *

AN/ Let me know what you think of the story so far :)


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